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Coach Dan 🖊

MENTAL WELL-BEING

7 Days To Self Improvement

“fitness is skin deep, a fit mind equates to a fit body, a fit soul elicits a fit body.” - Coach Dan

Many gym bros and girls are very dedicated & focused in the gym, ‘getting them gains’ but they neglect other aspects of their lives, or at most don’t put the same energy & vigor into other aspects that make their life complete.

We ‘gym rats’ get addicted to the sensations that come with working out in such a way that we neglect certain aspects that contribute to a more holistic & satisfactory life.

In this article I will help you step by step for 1 week to become more conscious of your life outside the gym which in turn affects your progress in the gym. These steps are intentional, eye opening, stress-relieving, relationship fostering, heart-healing, & armor for depression.

The road to a better you.

DAY 1: Make A DECISION To Consciously Dedicate Yourself To Self Improvement and Getting Better

Consciously decide to use your time, energy and resources towards sculpting a better you. Remember whatever you expend these 3 things on the most is what you will develop the most.

HOW: Just the same way you make a plan towards a specific fitness goal you have to do the same here; choose what aspects of yourself that you would like to improve or develop, be it dissolving a specific habit or mindset. Next you make a game plan i.e. How will you put yourself in the best position to achieve these agendas? And finally you implement these plans with consistency and relentlessly just like you do in the gym.

AFFIRMATION: I am dedicated to improving my life, my skills, my relationships, my perspectives and the world around me.

DAY 2: Spend Some Time By Yourself

There is definitely nothing wrong with socializing, but there is a certain freedom that comes with being able to sit down with yourself, take a walk by yourself or even travel alone. I am in no way encouraging self segregation or loneliness. Here’s what I mean; as much as you give time to get to know other people and understand them take some time to learn yourself and understand what you’re all about. After all you’re the only constant in your life. Doing this will help you to know your strengths, weaknesses, goals, develop self love, think critically and plan more efficiently.

HOW: Take some time during the day, just you and your diary perhaps and let’s get to writing... Ask yourself these questions and answer honestly 1. What am I all about, describe yourself 2. What do I stand for, what are my values? 3. What do I like about myself? 4. What do I dislike about myself? 5. What do I spend most of my time doing? 6. What can I start doing better? 7. What are some goals that I have? 8. What skills do I want to develop? 9. When was the last time I did something good for myself? 10. Do I feel comfortable being by myself for a whole week?

These are just a few questions to help you self introspect and in the process and become comfortable by yourself.

AFFIRMATION: I am content to be simply me, I am fearlessly and passionately me, everyday, I am my best friend, I am my lover, I am content within myself.

DAY 3: Asses Your Priorities Everyday

You knew this one was coming right?

On a serious note though exercising this habit daily leads to tremendous progression and less stress, so give it a try, preferably early in the morning before the weight of the day (and mostly the weight of the barbell you’re dreading to squat later on tonight) weighs you down and demands most of your energy. Here are some benefits of assessing your priorities at the start of your day

You have a sense of direction, which is very crucial for emotional health
You are less likely to engage in activities that will destruct you and are not related to your agendas
You will manage your time, energy and resources better, remember these three ingredients from earlier... if not go back to DAY 1
Reduces stress and increases productivity, how? you would kindly ask me; consolidating your priorities helps you to know what to do at what time and for how long, I'm talking about timetables duh, okay seriously if you know your priorities you can easily draft a timetable that will cut you hours of going in circles and not making any progress at all.

Ask yourself do I want to spend 2hrs+ going back and forth on social media or watching pointless videos on YouTube, or do I want to use that time to build the best me that I possibly can, remember you have only 24hrs of which you spend at least 35% of that time sleeping, 8% commuting, 8% eating, 33% working your 9-5 or in class. That leaves you with how much time for making positive progress towards a better you or pursuing your personal goals? Yes let that sink in...

HOW: As mentioned earlier this is best done as you start your day, don’t just wake up and start doing stuff. Plan out your year, then plan out your months, your weeks, your days, and finally your hours. The specificity and meticulousness (yes go on and open your dictionary) should increase as you plan from years to hours because we have “more” control of the hours and minutes than we have of months and years. Write down your goals and agendas for the years/months and break them down into simple daily habits that will add up to grander results.

AFFIRMATION: I value my time, I use my time wisely because I know that minutes add up to hours, hours add up to months, months add up to years and years make a lifetime so I invest wisely in my now to reap a desired later.

DAY 4: Choose A Set Of Morals And Values and Always Stick To Them

What do you stand for dear reader? Morals and Values shape how we interact with other people and how we make decisions in our lives everyday. Never compromise your morals or values for anyone, never compromise your values to get approval or for money.

Integrity is far more superior than wealth, in my own opinion. Integrity stands the test of time.

In a generation where many people have abandoned their morals and values for material validation and popularity strive to be a person who values their morals and values.

Also you’ll know what your worth is and can walk away from anything that is beneath you - It is your backbone!

HOW: A simple way is to think before you act, ask yourself

What are my morals and values?
Do I care about my morals and values?
Will my actions reflect who I am and what I stand for?
If I do this will I be compromising my integrity?
Can I live knowing that other people may think lowly of me because of my morals and values?
Am I willing to change myself to please other people?

AFFIRMATION: I am not ashamed to have morals, I stand for honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people right, helping out whenever I can, wherever I can. I am a force of positivity and goodness.

DAY 5: Stop Spending Too Much Time In Front Of A Screen

People don’t understand how much this habit destroys our ability to make progress. I could go on and on even to convince you to hate your tv or phone or laptop, but there’s no need for that - these are tools to our advantage. What I will tell you however is a few disadvantages of starring at your screen the whole day.

Disadvantages

Contributes to bad posture and back complications, think about your slouching posture when you’re using your phone or laptop, now keep in mind you maintain this bad posture for 10+ hours a day, what will that do to your posture in the long run? (cringeworthy stuff I know).
With everything being online people have become the laziest they have ever been, worse with the pandemic it hasn’t made it any better. Going outside or walking to the store has become history for many people. Think about this; how do you get entertained? - you go online, how do you learn? - you go online, how do you interact with other people? - you go online, how do you buy and sell? -you go online. Okay I'm sure get my point so I'll stop with the questions. Ask yourself are we being stripped of our humanity, have we become totally dependent on our screens to determine our way of life?
Addiction, ever felt a rush when that text message notification pops up? Or feel anxious when you are not checking your phone and you need to constantly check your notifications? It’s not because you’re anticipating winning the lottery it’s because you might be Addicted To Texting, yes, it’s actually a real thing. Your brain can link receiving text messages or constantly checking your phone with pleasure chemicals throughout your entire body, like phone junkies.
Loneliness, do you ever feel like no one understands you? It’s true because you spend all your time glued to your phone screen instead of meeting people in real life, having meaningful conversations and building meaningful relationships. You know I'm telling you the truth. Change that.
Affects sleep routines, ever wondered why it’s taking much longer for you to fall asleep; did you take an hour to wind down your day? Did you turn off all your gadgets at least an hour ago? No, I know you were probably responding to some texts before you decided to try and sleep and now you’ve been trying to catch some ZZ's for the past 2hrs mmh

HOW:

Set daily screen limits, it’s not a punishment it's about keeping balance.
Start with small reductions to help lessen any resistance.
Plan screen-free time, like outdoor play, music, hobbies, socializing and sport.
Set a time, at least an hour before lights out when all gadgets are turned off and packed away.
Read more books

AFFIRMATION: I am in control of how I use my devices, I am the master of my gadgets, I am not impulsive, I decide when to call it a day, I am in charge.

DAY 6: Pick a hobby that’s outside the gym

That you will progress at daily. The beauty about hobbies is that they teach you something new about yourself, for example by learning the guitar you might find out that you actually have some great coordination.

Hobbies open up the world to you, for example your get to appreciate the attention to detail that comes with knitting.

Hobbies help you to detox from the stresses, worries and troubles that plague daily living. Lastly hobbies teach you how to mix passion and hard work, as well as exploring your creativity. We especially want to focus on hobbies that keep you away from a screen.

HOW: Go back to your childhood, what fascinated you when you were an infant? pick up from where you left off a couple of decades ago. Transform what you already enjoy into a hobby...

Do you enjoy music? Then learn to make your own - learn an instrument, learn to compose music. Do you enjoy technology? Then learn to create your own – learn coding or robotics. Do you enjoy sceneries and art? Then learn painting, learn to draw express your imagination through imagery. Do you enjoy reading books and novels? Start writing your own books and novels, publish your work. Do you like fashion? Start learning sewing. The list goes on as you can see. The whole idea is to create things that explore your inner childhood creativity.

AFFIRMATION: I am a creative individual, I express myself through many channels, I bring beauty into my life and into the world around me.

DAY 7: Realize That True Happiness Comes From Within

Inner happiness is real happiness, joy that is not dependent on external factors because we know that external factors are always changing. Inner joy is independent of other people; it comes from within you and you reflect it onto other people.

Finding happiness from within will help you to find inner peace i.e. you learn to accept people for who they truly are and you learn to accept your life for what it is.

Inner peace sets you free.

HOW: The following steps provide guidance on how to find inner happiness, act on these intentionally;

Stop complaining and grumbling, complaining amplifies bad situations and clouds the bigger picture.
Find something to be grateful for in the morning and again right before bed.
Don't link getting material things with being happy, for all material things including money are fleeting, don’t bank your happiness on things that are fleeting.
Pursue your goals and dreams, and put in maximum effort in what you do, knowing that you’re doing your best is entirely fulfilling, if you’re being honest about it. Immerse yourself in everything you do.
Process life as it is, don’t stress over what you can't control but instead control your reactions, mindsets and how you treat other people.
Realize that joy cannot come from other people, it comes from you first, only after that you will be able to define "joy from someone else". Other people can make you happy but only you can find the inner joy of living and being you.
Focus on growth rather than perfection.
Give yourself compliments.
Realize that peace is its own reward, if it costs you your peace it’s too expensive.

AFFIRMATION: I find happiness, I spread happiness. I do not let the behaviors of others or today's events destroy my inner peace.

About Author

Daniel is a gym rat who is also a full time musician. I believe in art and expression and the powerful effects it has on the human experience. Check out more of my health and lifestyle blogs HERE and pick up one of my training packages, if you fancy HERE